Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir 2023

Whenever I am unable to get a ticket to the Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir concert, I go to the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast the following Sunday because it usually features the guest artists and a portion of the program.  It is actually quite nice because the parking situation is a bit easier on an early Sunday morning than it is in the evening with so many other events going on.  The guest artists this year were Michael Maliakel, who is currently starring as the title role in Aladdin on Broadway, and Lesley Nicol, who is best known for playing Mrs. Patmore on Downton Abbey.  The concert began with choir members in a procession down the aisles to "Sing We Now of Christmas" with the Orchestra at Temple Square and the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble.  It was beautiful and incredibly dramatic!  Michael Maliakel joined the choir for "Joy to the World" and I really loved his voice and his rendition of this song.  I wasn't very familiar with him but now I will pay attention because he is extremely talented and charismatic!  Next, the choir sang "To The Cradle Run," which I was unfamiliar with but definitely enjoyed, and then Richard Elliott performed "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" on the organ with fanfares played by the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble (this gave me goosebumps because I love this song).  The choir performed another song I was unfamiliar with called "O Little One Sweet" and then Lesley Nicol read the Christmas story from the Bible.  The program concluded with a stirring version of "Angels from the Realms of Glory" by Michael Maliakel and this also gave me goosebumps.  After the broadcast concluded, the audience got to hear another portion of the concert when a story about Victor Hugo's Christmas fetes for the children on the island of Guernsey was told by Lesley Nicol.  A replica of Hautville House, Hugo's home on Guernsey, was featured with performers acting out the story while Nicol narrated (she was delightful).  It was so inspiring and I especially loved the use of Hugo's quote, "To love is to act."  It was a lovely concert and I'm glad I made the effort to get up early (and put on a skirt) to attend!

Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir 2022

I am a huge fan of Lea Salonga!  She is an incredibly talented vocalist who originated the role of Kim in Miss Saigon on Broadway and provided the singing voices for Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan but I love her because she performed the role of Eponine in Les Miserables on Broadway and was handpicked by Cameron Mackintosh to appear as Eponine in the 10th Anniversary concert at the Albert Hall.  It is not an exaggeration to say that I have watched the DVD of this concert hundreds of times (she also appeared as Fantine in the 25th Anniversary concert but I prefer the former because I love her version of "On My Own" which my favorite song from the show).  When I learned that Salonga would be the guest for this year's Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir concerts, I desperately wanted a ticket but, alas, I was not selected in the lottery.  No matter because I was able to do the next best thing by attending the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast featuring Salonga and Sir David Suchet yesterday morning.  Even though it was only a 30 minute performance and not the entire concert, I got to hear Salonga sing "O Holy Night" and that will definitely be a highlight of 2022 for me!  The broadcast began with "When the Shepherds Saw the Light" featuring the Tabernacle Choir, the Orchestra at Temple Square, the Bells at Temple Square, and the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble.  It was quite stirring!  Then Salonga sang "Payapang Daigdig," a Christmas song beloved in her country (the Philippines) because it was written as a symbol of hope during World War II.  Even though I didn't understand the words, it was so moving.  Then the orchestra and the choir performed "Hosanna in Excelcis," which is a beautiful arrangement of Pachelbel's Canon in D.  Next came "O Holy Night" and, for those of you keeping score at home, this was the fourth time I got to hear my favorite Christmas song (I have loved it since I was a child) this holiday season.  I don't know if anyone can beat Salonga's performance!  Sir David Suchet read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and then we heard "Angels from the Realms of Glory" which was also very stirring!  After the broadcast ended, the audience got to hear another portion of the concert featuring the Nicholas Winton story as told by Sir David Suchet.  Winton helped to evacuate hundreds of children, mostly Jewish, from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II.  It wasn't until 50 years later when he was reunited with several of those he helped to rescue that the full extent of his actions were known.  The message of this story is that you never know when a little spark will fill the world with light and we were asked to hold up the lights on our phones as the choir sang "Once in Royal David's City."  It was amazing!  I am definitely glad I decided to get up early (and put on a skirt) because I loved this concert so much!

Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir 2019

Last night I was able to attend Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir and it was such a beautiful concert.  It featured the choir, the Orchestra at Temple Square, Bells on Temple Square, the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble, and guests Richard Thomas and Kelli O'Hara.  The evening began with "Star in the East" performed by the orchestra and the choir while members of the choir walked down the aisles through the crowd to the stage carrying lights.  This was so dramatic and it gave me goosebumps!  Then they performed a stirring rendition of "In Dulci Jubilo."  Next Kelli O'Hara, a Broadway star who won the Tony Award for her performance as Anna in the revival of The King and I, came to the stage to perform "Mary's Little Boy Child" and "The Birthday of a King." I wasn't very familiar with O'Hara but her voice is absolutely exquisite and she sang these songs so beautifully and effortlessly!  The concert continued with a fun medley of Christmas carols performed by the orchestra.  O'Hara returned to give the audience what she called the gift of Rogers & Hammerstein by performing "A Cockeyed Optimist" from South Pacific, "I Whistle a Happy Tune" from The King and I, and "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music.  I love all of these musicals so I really enjoyed this part of the concert.  Then she sang "Cradle in Bethlehem" which is her father's favorite Christmas carol and she dedicated it to her family.  I found her to be very warm and genuine!  This was followed by "Hallelujah" by Johann Sebastian Bach and "Hallelujah" from Messiah by George Frederic Handel performed by the choir and orchestra.  Richard Elliott performed a fun version of "Jingle Bells" on the organ with a bluegrass group called Cold Creek (Andrea Ivey Banner, Craig Miner, Blaine Nelson, Rob Ricks, and Bill Sprunger).  This was an audience favorite and received a standing ovation.  The actor Richard Thomas, best known for the TV series The Waltons, gave a heartfelt reading of a story by Pearl S. Buck called "Christmas Day in the Morning."  I loved the message about love being the best Christmas present you can give and I loved the set which was designed to look like an old fashioned farmhouse.  My favorite part of the concert came next with O'Hara's rendition of a song called "Baby of Bethlehem (Singing in the Land)."  I had never heard this before but it was absolutely ethereal and I loved it.  Thomas narrated the Christmas story from the Bible while a group of children acted it out (I loved the sheep).  The concert concluded with "Angels From the Realms of Glory" and it was spectacular!  As always, this concert was wonderful and I am so glad that I was able to go!  All tickets have been allocated for tonight's concert but you can get in a standby line at the Tabernacle.  It is well worth the effort (go here for more information).

O.C.Tanner Gift of Music 2019

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the O.C.Tanner Gift of Music concert featuring the Tabernacle Choir, the Utah Symphony, and special guests Brian Stokes Mitchell and Megan Hilty.  This year the concert was in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike that united the Transcontinental Railroad from east to west so it featured a patriotic program that was very stirring and uplifting.  I have been looking forward to this concert for weeks because of Brian Stokes Mitchell.  I was first introduced to him when he performed with the Utah Symphony several years ago as part of a Bravo Broadway concert.  He performed the best version of "Stars" from Les Miserables that I have ever heard and I have been a huge fan ever since!  Last night he performed a rendition of "Shenandoah" that was simply stunning.  He also performed "On the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe" from The Harvey Girls and "The Flag Song" from Assassins.  He was joined by Megan Hilty for "So in Love" from Kiss Me, Kate, "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" from Shall We Dance, and a lovely song called "Thankful" by Carol Bayer Sager, David Foster, and Richard Page.  Hilty performed a delightful medley from Annie Get Your Gun.  The Utah Symphony played a medley of American classics called "American Salute" by Morton Gould and a beautiful rendition of "John Henry" by Aaron Copeland.  The Tabernacle Choir sang "America the Beautiful," "Bound for the Promised Land," and "America, the Dream Goes On" by John Williams.  The choir was as spectacular as always and they gave me goosebumps multiple times!  The concert concluded with "Wheels of a Dream" from Ragtime performed by Mitchell (he was Coalhouse Walker, Jr. on Broadway), Hilty, the Utah Symphony, and the Tabernacle Choir. It was incredibly powerful and brought a tear to my eyes!  I enjoyed this concert so much!  There were even fireworks out on the Plaza afterwards!

Note:  The O.C.Tanner Gift of Music was created and endowed by Obert C. Tanner and Gordon B. Hinckley as a way to share the music of the Utah Symphony and the Tabernacle Choir with the community.  I have been lucky enough to attend several of these concerts, including the 3oth Anniversary Gala with James Taylor and the Mahler Symphony No. 8 several years ago.

Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir

Last summer Kristin Chenoweth was going to perform a concert with the Utah Symphony at the Deer Valley Music Festival.  I bought a ticket immediately but, sadly, she had to cancel because of an injury (Sutton Foster replaced her so it was still an amazing concert).  I was a little bit disappointed because I really wanted to see her so, when it was announced that she would be the special guest for this year's Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir concert, I was so excited!  This might be my favorite one yet because Kristin Chenoweth is absolutely adorable!  The Choir, Orchestra on Temple Square, Bells on Temple Square, and the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble began with "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" which was just lovely.  Chenoweth appeared from the audience (after interacting with some lucky audience members) and sang "We Need a Little Christmas" while flirting with Mack Wilberg!  She said her goal was to make him blush and he certainly did!  The highlight of the concert for me came next when she sang a beautiful arrangement of "O Holy Night" which is my very favorite Christmas song!  It gave me goosebumps (and a few tears).  Then the Choir sang "For Unto Us a Child Is Born" from Handel's Messiah which is always very stirring.  Next, Chenoweth sang an almost bluesy rendition of "Mary, Did You Know?" and a rousing rendition of "Come On, Ring Those Bells."  The Orchestra played selections from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, which is a favorite!  Chenoweth then sang "The Christmas Waltz" and pulled a member of the Choir to dance with her (did I mention that she is adorable?).  The audience joined in on a fun arrangement of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and Chenoweth appeared with the Choir wearing one of their costumes.  Then she appeared with the Bells on Temple Square in one of their costumes carrying a bell that was bigger than her for "Carol of the Bells," another favorite of mine.  She then narrated "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry, sang "Angels Among Us," "What Child Is This?," and concluded with "Angels from the Realms of Glory."  I loved this concert so much and I am so grateful and happy that I got to go again this year!

Note:  I have seen Renee Fleming, Sissel, Natalie Cole, Sutton Foster, and, now, Kristin Chenoweth perform with the Tabernacle Choir during their annual Christmas concert.  Chenoweth is my favorite guest...so far!

Sunday Ritual

Every Sunday in December I have been getting up early in the morning to attend the Music and the Spoken Word broadcasts.  It has been so lovely to walk through an almost silent city in the cold brisk air to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing Christmas music.  I have been loving it so much!  Last Sunday was such a treat because the broadcast featured a portion of the Christmas concert and both Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville were there!  My friend in the choir mentioned that some of the songs from the concert would be repeated but I didn't know that the guests would be there as well.  I was thrilled!  Sutton Foster sang "Christmas Time is Here" and "Angels From the Realm of Glory" and Hugh Bonneville read the Christmas story from the Bible.  The choir performed "Joy to the World," with the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble, "Unfold, Ye Portals," which was absolutely thrilling once again, and "Silent Night."  After the broadcast the choir sang "God Be With You 'Till We Meet Again" to Foster and Bonneville and that was just incredible.  There is one more special Christmas broadcast on Christmas Eve and I am so looking forward to it!  Honestly, I will be a little sad when Christmas is over because this has been wonderful!

Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

A ticket to the Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert is highly coveted in these parts.  I very much wanted to go (I even schlepped my laptap on my trip to Los Angeles after having trouble using the website on my phone in the past) because this year the featured guests were Broadway star Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham!).  But, alas, I couldn't get tickets.  I was really sad but I knew that I had a lot of really fun things planned in December (The Last Jedi!) and, since you can't do everything, I got over it!  Then my wonderful friend, who sings in the choir, offered me one of his tickets (I got a ticket to a later screening of The Last Jedi because sleep is overrated).  The concert began with the choir, along with the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble, singing "Joy to the World" and that pretty much began the waterworks because it was so stirring.  The stage was decorated like the prow of a ship with sails, maritime signal flags, portholes, and flickering lanterns hanging all around.  The effect was stunning and the significance was revealed a bit later.  Sutton Foster, Hugh Bonneville, and hundreds of dancers dressed in Victorian costumes sang "Just Once a Year" which was a lot of fun.  Then Foster sang "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Christmas Time Is Here."  Next came my favorite part of the concert which was titled A Classical Christmas.  The choir and Richard Elliott, on the most amazing organ you can imagine, performed "Unfold, Ye Portals" from The Redemption by Charles Grunod and then "Sing!" based on the Toccata from Organ Symphony No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor.  That was spectacular and I could hardly catch my breath!  Then Foster sang an amazing version of "Sunshine on My Shoulder" by John Denver after telling an affecting story about her mother.  Seriously, the waterworks began again (so much so that the adorable older gentleman sitting next to me felt the need to comfort me!).  The Orchestra on Temple Square performed "Sleigh Ride" and then Foster followed with "Snow," from A White Christmas, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Happy Holiday."  Mack WIlberg, the conductor of the choir, led the audience in a rousing version of "Jingle Bells" complete with snow falling!  Richard Elliott performed an epic version of "I Saw Three Ships" on the organ and then Hugh Bonneville appeared in the audience very close to where I was sitting to tell the story of how Horatio Spafford came to write the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" after losing most of his family after a ship they were traveling on at Christmas time sank in the Atlantic Ocean.  It was quite moving because the choir sang the hymn at various times in the story.  Then the choir sang a beautiful version of "Silent Night" with lighting that made the women look like angels in their white dresses.  Bonneville then recited the Christmas Story form the Bible.  The concert ended with an incredible version of "Angels From The Realms of Glory" performed by Foster and all of the dancers.  I will never forget this night!  It was a beautiful and inspiring concert and I am beyond grateful that I got to go (Thank you so much, Stanford!).

Me and some random guy before the concert began!

Note:  Look for my review of The Last Jedi tomorrow!

I Heart Christmas Music!

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is having the opportunity to hear Christmas music performed live.  I don't think of myself as a religious person but there is something about Christmas music that gets me every time!  I had the opportunity to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform Christmas music last Sunday morning and it was glorious.  Every Sunday the choir gives a concert for the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast (which, incidentally, is the longest continuing broadcast in the world) and in December this broadcast features Christmas music.  It is held in the LDS Conference Center (which is quite the building) and it is free to the public.  It was a wonderful concert featuring "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "Dance and Sing," "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly," "And The Glory of the Lord" from Messiah by Handel, "Noe! Noe!," "The First Noel," and "Carol to the King."  I can' think of a better way to listen to Christmas music than to hear it performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  I loved it so much that I have decided to go back every Sunday in December!  Go here for more information about upcoming broadcasts.

Note:  I have a friend who sings in the choir and it was fun for me to see him.

O.C. Tanner Gift of Music

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the O.C. Tanner Gift of Music concert in the Tabernacle on Temple Square.  It was quite the experience!  Over thirty years ago, Obert C. Tanner and Gordon B. Hinckley created and endowed this concert series as a way to share performances of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony as a gift to the community.  I have been lucky enough to attend several of these concerts (including the 30th Anniversary concert featuring James Taylor in 2013).  This year Thierry Fischer conducted the Utah Symphony, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Choristers of the Madeleine Choir School and soloists Orla Boylan, Celena Shafer, Amy Owens, Charlotte Hellekant, Tamara Mumford, Barry Banks, Markus Werba, and Jordan Bisch in a stirring rendition of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8.  Oh my goodness, it was absolutely spectacular!  I had never heard this piece before and I had goosebumps from the very first note of the magnificent organ to the final crash of the cymbals!  I absolutely loved it.  I can't even describe how beautiful this performance was, especially in such a gorgeous setting, and I am profoundly grateful for the generosity of Obert C. Tanner and his wife Grace in providing such a memorable experience for the community and for the opportunity to have world class organizations like the Utah Symphony and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir right here in Salt Lake City!  This event is free, but all available tickets for tonight's performance have been claimed.  However, stand-by seating is available and the line will begin at the flagpole by the Tabernacle.  I would plan on being there as early as possible (the concert begins at 7:00 pm).  It is well worth the effort for a chance to see this unbelievable performance!